Centrosolar Glas breaks new ground with thin glass

Fürth, August 28th, 2012 – Centrosolar Glas GmbH & Co. KG has developed a particularly thin solar glass for photovoltaic modules. With solar glasses that are only 2.3 mm or 2.6 mm thick the German solar glass expert has transferred another ground-breaking innovation in the area of cover glasses for photovoltaic modules and solar thermal collectors into series production.

True to the motto “less is more” the Fürth-based company succeeded in reducing the minimum thickness by almost 30 % at the same mechanical resistance thanks to process optimization. The thin glasses currently offered exclusively by Centrosolar Glas reduce the total weight of the modules, which simplifies the assembly and saves transportation and mounting costs.

The innovative solar glass with a thickness of only 2.3 mm and 2.6 mm is particularly suitable for glass-glass modules. Up to now, single pane safety glass could only be produced with a minimum thickness of 3 mm.

The CENTROSOL thin glass first exhibited at the Intersolar Europe, Munich, also offers the advantage of higher light transmission. It moreover extends the operating life of the PV modules because glass is more resistant to environmental effects than a plastic back sheet. The thermal conductivity of glass is higher than a backing film, reducing the cell operating temperature of a glass-glass module and improving efficiency especially in hot climatic conditions. Moreover it offers aesthetic advantages: the thin glass sandwich gives the PV module a genuine high-tech character. What is more, the customer can match the colour of the glass backing to the roof.

The energy yield can be further increased by means of the CENTROSOL HiT Nano Power anti-reflective coating. This coating further improves the transmission properties and therefore the annual energy yield of a photovoltaic system by up to 6 %. Furthermore, the low-iron solar glass with anti-reflective coating exhibits hydrophilic surface properties, creating a degree of self-cleaning.

Picture 1: CENTROSOL – the solar glass is just 2.3 mm thick, making it suitable for the new glass-glass modules
Picture 2: The proof is in the fragmentation test: the new thin glass from Centrosolar Glas is to single-pane safety glass standards

About Centrosolar Glas
Centrosolar Glas GmbH & Co. KG is the solar glass specialist in the CENTROSOLAR Group. Low-iron solar glasses with and without a nanoporous anti-reflective coating are finished at the Fürth plant and the Asian manufacturing facility in Changsa, China – with annual output there now in excess of 6 million m2, following the extension of production facilities in 2011. Numerous leading manufacturers of use solar glass made in Fuerth to cover their modules and collectors, making Centrosolar Glas the world market leader for such glass types. 6% increase in the annual energy yield is attainable from photovoltaic modules, with an increase of as much as 8 – 10 % possible for solar thermal collectors. This increase is made possible by a patented anti-reflective coating that minimizes reflection by the surface of the glass, thus maximizing energy transmission to the solar cell or absorber.

For more information, please contact:
MetaCom Corporate Communications GmbH, Georg Biekehör, tel.: +49 (0)6181 9828030, e-mail: g.biekehoer(at)go-metacom.de

CENTROSOLAR Glas GmbH & Co.KG, Dominic Wagner, Key Account Management, tel.: +49 (0) 911 950 98 189, e-mail: Dominic.Wagner(at)centrosolarglas.com